Page 18

Chapter

Eighteen

My feet are starting to ache, and that’s saying something considering I spend most of my days walking around the barnyard, scooping manure. If anyone should be able to handle a trek through the forest, it’s me.

Harek stops, and I nearly bump into him. “Sorry. We should eat some more food.”

“Is it safe?” I glance around, still on edge from the last group of vampires we narrowly escaped from. Apparently this part of the woods is their territory, but Harek says we don’t have any other choice but to go through if we want to reach the metropolis any time soon.

We nearly collided with three separate groups, but thanks to quick thinking managed to stay away.

He digs into his bag. “Should be.”

“ Should be safe?”

“We need to eat, and I can’t smell any.”

“If you say so.” I couldn’t smell the others, so I can only guess his sense is heightened even in his human form. I’m too tired to ask.

He gives me some food, and only then do I realize how famished I am. My stomach growls, and I practically inhale the meat.

Harek hands me another chunk, but I don’t take it. He nudges it closer. “Take it.”

“We should save it.”

“Nah. We’re close. The food there will be much better.”

“But how will we get any? I doubt they’ll take Skoro’s coins.”

“We’ll figure something out.”

My stomach growls again, so I take the food. If we have to work to eat, then so be it. I’m not sure what to expect when we get there, but I’m hungry. “What will happen when we get there? I assume they have guards at the gates.”

“That’s what I expect.”

My stomach knots. “What if they don’t let us in?”

“We’re fae. We’ll get in.”

“But you said?—”

“Getting in is one thing, becoming part of the community is another matter entirely. I’m not promising they’ll welcome us with open arms, but we’ll get inside.”

“How do you know? You said you’ve never been there.”

“I’ve heard my parents talk about these things my entire life.”

“Must be nice.”

“I didn’t like keeping secrets from you, but my parents convinced me it was for your own safety. The last thing I wanted was to put you in any danger.”

“You didn’t trust me?” I study him.

“It’s not like that. I don’t trust Gunnar, and clearly I was right in that assessment.”

“I wouldn’t have said anything to him.”

“But by not knowing, you didn’t have anything to hide. If he asked you any questions about fae, you would be fully honest in your lack of knowledge. He’d have no reason to push you for answers.”

“I guess I can see that, though I can’t remember him ever asking.”

“You wouldn’t, would you?” He lifts an eyebrow. “But if you were hiding knowledge about the fae world, that would be something etched into your mind.”

He has a point. Even though I wish my mother and friend had spoken up sooner, I can see why they didn’t.

Harek hands me his jug of water, and after we’ve hydrated we set out again.

My heart slams against my chest as I think about crossing paths with more vampires.

“You need to relax,” Harek whispers. “They’ll hear your heartbeat from a long distance.”

I groan. “You can sense my heartbeat?”

“When it’s that erratic, yes. My wolf is itching to get out again and my senses are on high alert. Vampires might not be able to hear it like me, but they’ll smell it. Take some deep breaths.”

“ You take some deep breaths,” I snap, but I know he’s right.

“If we’re in danger, your palm will let us know.”

I glance at my completely not glowing hand. “That does seem to be how it works.”

“All the more reason to stop worrying. Predators can sense that like you wouldn’t believe.”

“Does that make you a predator?”

He stops and looks me square in the eyes. “Not to you. I’ll always do whatever I can to keep you safe, and I’d never put you in harm’s way.”

My heart races even faster at his words. My face flames knowing he can sense it. He can probably even sense my embarrassment. Has he always been able to know my feelings?

Harek takes my hand in between his two. “You may not be able to trust many people, but I will always have your back. Never doubt that.”

Another rush of heat slams into my cheeks and runs down my neck. What is going on? Why am I responding like this?

“Thanks.” I pull my hands away and turn from him.

“Just don’t forget that.”

We set out again, but I can’t seem to calm my racing heart. I can still feel his hands wrapped around mine, and it makes my head warm again. I’ve never had these reactions to Harek before. It must be my awakening magic. Yeah, that’s it. He has some too, so it makes sense. Plus I have those other two fae’s magic still pulsating around in me.

After a few minutes, while my mind is still racing, my palm warms. I glance at it.

It’s glowing orange.

Harek and I exchange a wide-eyed glance.

Vampires must be near. Or some other kind of fae who means us harm.

He glances ahead. “Keep going.”

My pulse races. He better not complain about me being on edge. If there is a good time for it, it’s now. My palm is growing warmer and brighter by the moment. I shove my hands into my pockets so any predators won’t notice it. With any luck, they’ll simply leave us alone.

Crunch!

I gasp. That couldn’t have been a vampire. The others we ran into earlier were all silent, practically appearing out of nowhere. Had my palm not warned me, we’d have never known they were approaching. Well, I suppose Harek might’ve sensed something eventually, but my glow was faster.

Someone steps in front of us, blocking our path. He stands right in the sunlight, confirming he isn’t a vampire. The ones before stayed in the shadows.

He glares at Harek. “A little out of your territory, aren’t you?” I swear there’s a growl in his voice.

My friend furrows his eyebrows. “We’re just passing through. I’m a wolf too.”

“Obviously.” The other guy glances at me.

I tighten my fists, my right one warming more. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing none of these werewolves can shift today. Maybe so, since I’d be stuck as a human.

Harek squares his shoulders. “Move.”

“No.”

They stare each other down. Another two guys and a woman appear.

My palm is now so warm, it’s too uncomfortable to leave in the pocket. I pull it out and release my fist. A fully formed mist ball releases.

All four of the other werewolves turn to me in shock.

The first one who had been so arrogant raises his hands. “We don’t mean any trouble. I didn’t realize… I mean, I never would’ve thought…”

“How is that possible?” The woman stares at me. “It can’t be.”

The four of them all talk over each other.

I step toward them. “Are you going to let us pass?”

The first guy stumbles backward. “I didn’t mean any harm.”

My orange mist ball practically doubles in size. “My friend told you to move out of our way.”

He runs. The others continue staring, blocking our path.

The woman’s concern melts into a hardened glance. “You need to leave our territory.”

I hold my hand up in her direction. “Then get out of our way.”

“Come on, Kinta.” One of the guys grabs her.

She doesn’t take her gaze from me, her eyes turning nearly black. “Don’t ever come our way again. Got it?”

“Move out of our way.” I hold my arm back like I’m going to throw the ball at her.

The other men flee. She doesn’t budge.

Harek clears his throat. “You should follow your friends.”

“I’m not backing down.” Kinta keeps her focus on me. “You don't belong here. Leave another way.”

“Are you threatening me?” Anger surges through me and my palm heats even more, though I wouldn’t have thought it possible.

“I’m saying you need to find another way to your destination.”

We stare each other down, my palm growing warmer by the moment.

She pulls out a sword. It’s rusty but looks like it could cause some damage.

Harek pulls an arrow to the string of his bow.

Kinta’s eyes flash black. “Don’t test me.”

I ready myself. “You really don’t want to fight us.”

She swings her weapon toward me.

Without thinking, I throw my mist ball. It hits her square in the chest and appears to spread out in all directions. She gasps, drops her sword. Falls to the ground. Calls me several names, her voice garbled.

Harek stares at me wide-eyed.

Kinta grasps at her throat before closing her eyes and going limp. A black mist rises from her body.

Exactly what I was worried would happen.

Harek stares at her, his mouth gaping. He doesn’t move, even as the mist passes right by him.

Toward me.

I can’t deal with more magic inside me. So I run.

“Eira!” Harek calls.

I don’t stop. If I can outrun the swirling mist, I’ll do everything in my power.

It makes a swooshing sound as it comes after me. I don’t look back. Need to find a way to get out of its path.

“Where are you going?” Harek calls.

How does he not know what I’m doing? I can’t deal with more misty magic turning my insides apart, or whatever it’s doing.

Something cold brushes under my nose.

No. Not again. This cannot be happening. But it is.

Unable to keep going, I stop myself unwillingly. The dark mist momentarily blocks my view of anything else, as it swirls around and slides down through my nose to mingle with the other magic. All of the mists slosh and swirl in me.

The nausea returns with a vengeance. I fight against it, not wanting to lose all the food Harek just fed me.

He catches up with me, gasping. “Why did you run off?”

I double over, doing everything I can not to lose my lunch.

“Eira, are you okay?”

Shaking my head, I lean against a tree. Breathe deeply. Now it feels the foreign magic inside me is fighting against each other. It’s cold and jostling my organs. I manage to focus on my friend. “I need another weapon. Using the mist balls is…”

My voice trails off as my stomach lurches heavily. I’m not going to be able to keep my food down.

Have to try.

“Eira?”

“I’m sorry.” I turn away from him just in time to expunge all the food he so generously shared with me.